Child's Play 2

Year: 1990
Director: John Lafia
Writer: Don Mancini
Genre: Horror: Evil doll

For most of my young life I was terrified of Chucky. I'd never even seen a movie but the idea and look of the character creeped me out more than anything. One time I remember the first film coming up on tv one night and my family watching it... Though I wasn't in the same room I heard some of it and it didn't help one bit! I used to be legitimately scared that Chucky would come into my bathroom and get me (kind of a mix of Psycho thrown in there lol).

So only last year did I finally watch Child's Play. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I guess after the first few movies when they became subtitled with Chucky's name that things took on a more humorous tone. That's really all I was exposed to from friends so I expected all the films to be kind of dumb humorous horror. While there is some fun to be had I still really just enjoyed it.

Anyway, so I watched Child's Play 2 and it was pretty good. I liked how they kept it directly connected to the first. It made enough sense how Chucky was able to come back after the end of the first. However, at the end of this movie I'm not sure how they are going to bring him back yet again. It seemed pretty final. Of course, that could be said of all sorts of horror icons. They're never truly dead!

It was still a very enjoyable movie although less so than the first. It's not as scary because this time around you know just what to expect from Chucky. In the first movie it was surprising and super creepy to see Chucky's face turn angry for the first time. Still, it was a nice romp and I especially enjoyed the multiple attempts to end the evil doll's life.

Black Christmas

Year: 2006
Director: Glen Morgan
Writer: Glen Morgan
Genre: Horror: Slasher

Black Christmas is a modern slasher classic. When it came out in the 70s it was known even if many people wished it didn't exist. Some years later this remake came out and mostly attempts to re-write the story, as far as I can recall anyway. It's been years since I've seen the original but I'm pretty sure there wasn't nearly as much back story.

It seems particular of  modern horror remakes to give killers fleshed out reasons to kill. In this version, we see that the killer was hated by his mother as a child. He only killed out of revenge and the hatred that his mother had taught him. This is all revealed early on so we're sure to know what he's capable of. Why did we need to have a story for him? Modern audiences appear to prefer it when we get to see someone succumb to evil, rather than simply embody it from the start.

Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. For me, I felt for the guy and found it odd that he really didn't play a central role beyond during the backstory segments. If you're going to focus so much time on him why not give him more screen time for the finale? It was an odd decision.

Another thing I didn't like was that the murder's signature thing is trash bags and poking eyes out. Honestly, I don't recall this from the original at all (the eye part). I know he suffocates a girl early on in the film but I was pretty sure there was only one scene like that, not multiple. I also didn't like that the trash bags were not opaque. For some reason I'm also thinking that was the case in the original, though I could be wrong.

It then seems extremely strange to me that they would tone down the suffocation violence but make everything else much more brutal. I guess that was also decided upon because Hollywood also seems to think moviegoers love ultra gore. Maybe they do?

For the most part this didn't feel like a remake. Sure, it took place in the same location with the same kind of cast but things played out in a new way. If you're looking for a mildly entertaining holiday-themed slasher than this would be a fine pick.

Paranormal Entity

Year: 2009
Director: Shane Van Dyke
Writer: Shane Van Dyke
Genre: Horror: Haunting

Asylum, the people behind Paranormal Entity, are most famous for what they do, rather than the movies they actually produce. They tend to take well-established names and churn out movies with similarities (as well as very close titles). Their business method is shady if smart... it's an attempt to confuse consumers into getting their product instead of the "real deal". Probably one of their "best" non-copycat films is Mega Shark VS Giant Octopus.

So how does this film which basically attempts to be Paranormal Activity stand up? Surprisingly well. Luckily for Asylum this isn't a movie that requires lots of money be put into it. The house looks nicely furnished and even the actors aren't too bad. The scares are subdued for the most part, like the original PA.

The story is a bit more akin to the 2nd PA film... there is a family occupying the house instead of just a couple. This family is a mother and her two teenage children. It's a pretty nice little story and possibly even better than the premise for PA. I'm glad to see they didn't just rehash the story and went to try something of their own.

Later on the movie gets a little silly trying to scare viewers. It also gives us more titillation with bare breasts from time to time. It's not really necessary but I'm sure the filmmakers thought it was the perfect excuse to do so. Overall I think it's weird but this isn't a bad movie at all. I intend to watch Paranormal Entity 2 soon.

Paranormal Activity 2

Year: 2010
Director: Tod Williams
Writer: Michael R. Perry, Christopher B. Landon
Genre: Horror: Haunting

Last Halloween I watched Paranormal Activity and was pleasantly surprised. On a whim, I decided to hit up the sequel and see if it was still good. This version takes us into the lives of another family and they're a bit more interesting. You've got a mother, father, daughter, baby boy, the mother's sister, and even a dog in the cast. If there was one issue with the first movie it was that it felt a little too foreign to moviegoers with having only two main characters.

So, we've got a nice cast of rounded-out characters. The premise remains pretty similar about spirits coming after people for whatever reason... Then of course there are cameras around the house just like in the original which help you see the hauntings. It's something I liked most about the first film. Things are shown on camera but most of the time it's very minor stuff. For example, a door opening slightly or a pot falling in another room. It's all very small stuff and I appreciate it.

What I don't appreciate about Paranormal Activity 2 is that it pulls more Hollywood-styled hauntings into the mix. About 3/4th of the way through the movie I felt like I was watching Poltergeist. That's a fine movie on its own but in this one where it is attempting to be "found footage" the hauntings seem much less plausible.

The movie was still okay but felt stretched by the end. I wish they could have kept the atmosphere of the first without having to go and blow it later on. If you like this movie you should also check out REC. 

Girly

Year: 1970
Director: Freddie Francis
Writer: Brian Comport
Genre: Horror: Thriller

Girly is an odd little British film. In it, we have a family living all together in a great big house. Their names are Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, and Girly. In fact, their names were the original title of the movie but when it was brought to other locations they simply called it "Girly".

Sonny and Girly are two adorable and attractive teenagers who just love to play games. They play not only because it is a rule Mumsy imposes but because they enjoy it. One of their games is to find men and bring them back home with them. There they can play with everyone until Mumsy decides they are no longer needed. Once they are dull or break the rules they are murdered. Sounds like perfect family fun to me!

It's definitely unusual to see these characters all interacting. The home life of all the inhabitants is strangely infantile and free of adult logic. Even though there are multiple adults present it never seems any of them ever focus on "tough" matters. It's interesting to see how everyone interacts and how their world is normal to them.

Unfortunately, the movie is rather dull. There's some fun to be had but mostly I never was able to get into the groove of watching it. It also ends on a very abrupt note. You feel like the movie could continue on further but we never get to see the final resolution (you're simply left to assume).

I Spit on Your Grave

Year: 2010
Director: Steven R. Monroe
Writer: Stuart Morse
Genre: Horror: Exploitation

I Spit on Your Grave/Day of the Woman was a film that I never thought would be remade. The first (and only) time I watched the original I was petrified through most of it. Sure, there was no murderer or giant monster but all that happened onscreen was intense. It seemed the kind of movie nobody wanted to touch then and would never touch again.

But then a remake happened and somehow left me feeling the exact same way. What's interesting to me is while the rape scenes were toned down of actual graphic content, they were kept long in other ways. The buildup and abuse carried out by the group of men was just as hard to watch as the scenes that would follow.

What also struck me was that I believe the way that revenge was served was more graphic than before. It was also more creative. I figure these scenes must have been amped up because a movie-going audience would accept it after the atrocities the woman had to go through. Still, it was surprisingly hard to sit and watch it all. I needed a break in the middle of it and took one (something I rarely do).

This is the kind of movie you don't watch with friends, if ever. It stands as a very powerful film around the same caliber of Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom and Men Behind the Sun.

My Bloody Valentine

Year: 2009
Director: Patrick Lussier
Writer: Todd Farmer, Zane Smith
Genre: Horror: Slasher

My Bloody Valentine (3D) is a remake I actually contemplated going to see when it was out. To me, it seemed like the perfect way to cap off a Valentine's Day date. However, as fate would have it I never went to see it then. Watching the film today lets me know that was probably the best twist of fate ever.

This movie is entirely too dull. The premise presented is neat enough... A miner killed his partners in a mine shaft, then it collapsed, leaving him in a coma for years after. He came to some years later and started killing once again before being shot down during his spree. More years pass and then it seems our miner killer is back again!

It's close enough in soul to the original except that it doesn't feel nearly as fun. It's all dull and you never find yourself caring for anyone. The movie almost feels like a horrible train wreck at points. There is a part where a woman is completely naked and running from the murderer. Yes, 100% nude. This takes the "girl in skimpy outfit running from maniac" to the extreme and I can't say I liked it one bit.

None of the lead males are especially compelling either. I mean, are we supposed to feel for the young cop on the force who had some of his friends die to the maniac? I could initially understand that but nearly a minute after he is introduce we find out he's a huge cheater. I don't know about you, but knowing someone is cheating rather uncaringly on their partner isn't going to bond me with them. As for the other guy, well, he just feels like a slab of concrete. He's got no real personality that shines through. Oh, there's a "twist" ending too. I figured it out early on and I'm sure anyone else watching will catch it too.

Maybe I sound harsh but I'm mad that I wasted an hour and 40 minutes on this thing. If you like or want to watch it though, then more power to ya.